BJP issues notice to Yatnal for violating party's discipline

BJP central disciplinary committee has issued notice to senior party leader and former Union Minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal for making comments against two ministers Murugesh Nirani and C C Patil in a public forum.

The Central BJP disciplinary committee comprising senior leaders Avinash Rai Khanna and Om Pathak issued notice to Yatnal on Monday and asked him to reply within one week.

Since Yatnal is sitting MLA from Bijapur city assembly segment, for all sitting MP and MLAs, the Central disciplinary Committee issues notice for violating party redline.

The notice issued after the state unit brought to the notice of central leaders about frequent comments by Yatnal against some of the ministers in the Basavaraj Bommai cabinet in public events, sources in the BJP said.

A couple of days back, Yatnal called Heavy Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani a "pimp" in a public event. Yatnal also criticised PWD Minister C C Patil. Both Nirani and C C Patil complained against Yatnal and asked the party top brass to rein in.

Also Read: 'Pimp' remark: Two senior state BJP leaders slug it out

Although the state BJP had earlier issued show-cause notices to Yatnal over his remarks against former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and other leaders over Panchamasali Lingayat quota stir, the BJP top brass has been fighting reluctant to crack down on him since he is an influential Panchamasali leader who had also been a Union minister.

With elections just a few months away, the BJP central leaders are worrying over the slugfest among leaders of Panchamasali over quota. Though the party is aware of factional fights among Panchamasali leaders over quota, they are struggling to keep leaders together to ensure their Lingayat votebank intact. Even Karnataka in charge General Secretary Arun Singh also earlier told Yatnal not to make comments against any BJP leaders publically.